Rukia's Baby
by OpalOwly
Summary: Rukia is pregnant with Ichigo's child, but she's worried about Byakuya's reaction to the news. Implied Rukia x Ichigo Other implied relationships, T for implied sex and childbirth.
1. I'm Pregnant

This is my first fanfic! I'm not really sure what I'm doing, but I'd love to have some constructive criticism! Thanks!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of the characters. Bleach and its characters belong to Tite Kubo, who is awesome.**

_**Rukia's Baby**_

_This is a really inconvenient time for Ichigo to be sent off back to the World of the Living. _The small black haired figure thought. _We've only been married for a year and a half. I wanted him all to myself…and this really is an inconvenient time for him to be sent off like this. _

Rukia turned to her husband despondently. "You're sure you can't get someone to replace you on this mission?" she pleaded with him, "Maybe Rangiku, or Ikkaku, or even Captain Zaraki?"

Ichigo shook his head. "No, I have to go because I have the most experience in the World of the Living by far, and that's useful because I'll be there for awhile," he explained. This only made Rukia's heart sink even more.

"How long?" she asked.

"A few weeks at least, a month or two if things go badly."

Rukia wrapped her arms around Ichigo tightly. _If things go badly? What's that supposed to mean. I thought he was just checking up on Karakura Town? This wasn't supposed to be a dangerous mission! _she thought. But she swallowed those fears; there was something very important she absolutely had to tell Ichigo before he left. The lump of nervousness in her throat swelled and she suddenly felt tense with anticipation. "Ichigo, before you go, there is something I have to tell you," she blurted. "I'm pregnant!"

Ichigo froze in what he was doing. "Really? I…don't…argh…now I really wish I hadn't been assigned this mission," he said as he tenderly wrapped his arms around her tiny figure. "I'll hurry back and then I won't leave your side until our child is born." He nuzzled Rukia's cheek for emphasis. "I trust you'll make the necessary announcements?" I nodded. Then before stepping out the door, Ichigo added with a snicker, "Be especially careful when letting a certain someone know. He was mad enough when I married you; I can imagine he'll want to tear my face off when he hears that you're carrying my baby." Then he was gone.

It was the next day that Renji arrived to tell Rukia that her brother Byakuya had invited her to the manor for a dinner party the next evening. Secretly Rukia thought that he had planned the gathering especially so that Ichigo could not attend, but she kept this to herself. She was telling Renji that she accepted when she noticed something. Telltale red marks scattered across his neck. "I thought that Brother Byakuya was more discreet about those kind of things," she observed, and was filled with wicked pleasure when Renji's face turned a bright pink. And then she was sad again. She'd learned to tease and have fun at the lieutenant's expense from Ichigo, who wasn't here in Soul Society because he was on some stupid trip in the World of the Living. Suddenly Rukia didn't want Renji around anymore. "Tell Brother Byakuya that I'll attend," she said curtly and turned to go inside.

She didn't know why, but she was overtaken by jealousy. Her brother and his lover Renji Abarai were together, Rangiku Matsumoto and Shuuhei Hisagi were together, Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa were together along with countless other couples, and she was here alone without her Ichigo. After she had recently found out that she was carrying on top of that. On top of that, Rukia was irritated that she even _was _jealous, because that was not at all like her. In a sudden fit of frustration she threw herself down in a chair to think; she need to clear her head before she broke something.

A week before, she had gone to Captain Unohana because of unexplainable constant vomiting and mood swings. She hadn't wanted to go, but Ichigo had practically threatened her into going to the Fourth Division he was so worried. There, Unohana had performed some tests and given her the news: Rukia was pregnant and she had been for nearly twelve weeks. It was a week and a half after Rukia had found out and her head was still spinning. Just when she was finally getting used to the idea, Ichigo was suddenly assigned a mission to supposedly simply check up on Karakura Town and Rukia was alone. It was the last thing the expectant shinigami wanted. And now, she had to tell Byakuya.

She could remember the time Ichigo had asked him for her hand in marriage and it was only by Renji's intervention that he was not cut to pieces by Byakuya's Senbonzakura. Now, the only thing that would keep him alive after Byakuya found out he had impregnated his little sister was the fact that Ichigo was not in Soul Society at the moment. Rukia wasn't even sure that that could save Ichigo from her brother's wrath. A wayward thought wandered across her mind: _did Byakuya know how to castrate people with his shikai? Because if he did, Ichigo would never father another child again._ And suddenly, Rukia was laughing.

The next morning was awful for Rukia. She spent the first ten minutes of her day vomiting and the next ten cursing at her closet of too-tight clothing. She'd been dreading outgrowing her wardrobe and she was bigger than she had expected to be by now. At the moment, that wouldn't have been so bad if she hadn't agreed to visit her brother for dinner, and if she wore any of the things she currently owned, Byakuya's too-sharp eyes would notice. Maybe it would be better if she went back to bed and begged an illness. However, she reasoned, Byakuya would come around, or send his lieutenant around and then she'd be dragged off to Unohana again, and Unohana would certainly tell Byakuya about Rukia's pregnancy. Suddenly squeezing into her clothing seemed almost inviting. She could adjust the waistline to her pants and wear her obi loose or something.

As Rukia approached her brother's manor, she was horrified to here a voice she knew very well. It was Rangiku Matsumoto. It wasn't that she didn't like Rangiku, but she had been planning to break her news to Byakuya during a meal that she had assumed would be just her, Byakuya and Renji. But apparently Byakuya had other guests, though why the loud and flirtatious tenth division lieutenant was one of them, Rukia didn't know. And if _Rangiku_ was there, Rukia could only assume there were other guests present, much to her dismay. That many more eyes to notice that something was off. She steeled herself, however, and smoothed a hand over her stomach for confidence. _Why are you scared?_ She reprimanded herself. _It's only Brother Byakuya and some friends…._


	2. Hesitant

Rukia quietly entered the building hoping to remain unnoticed for at least a short while. But with Renji_ and _Rangiku among others around, that was impossible. Rukia had scarcely taken ten steps inside when Renji noticed her. "Captain," he called, "Rukia's here!" Rukia winced inwardly. _Must you be so loud,_ she thought. Her face remained smooth and calm but inside, she was panicking. _He'll notice right away!_ she thought desperately, silently cursing Renji for announcing her arrival. Byakuya would have noticed her on his own. Rukia muttered a hello to her friend before slipping off into the small crowd gathered into the room. If she were lucky, she wouldn't run into Byakuya just yet.

Rukia felt her head pushed to the side a bit by something large and soft. Looking to the side, she found herself looking up at Rangiku Matsumoto's chest and her boyfriend Hisagi Shuuhei. Again, she winced inwardly. "Rukia!" Rangiku virtually squealed, "You're here. Why are you so late? Captain Byakuya was worried that you wouldn't come." Rukia wasn't sure if she visibly cringed at Rangiku's loudness, but she knew she was cringing in her mind. _Is it necessary to be so loud? Why must everyone announce my presence so loudly?_ Rukia thought irritably. _At this rate, Byakuya will find me in no time especially with this small crowd._

Whether she was just lucky, or Byakuya was avoiding her, Rukia didn't know, but she didn't run into him at all during his dinner party. She talked to some of the other captains including her own Captain Ukitake and Rangiku's Captain Hitsugaya but none of them seemed to notice anything odd about her. Rukia was so relieved that she actually breathed a calmed sigh towards the end of the party. She's survived, and if she was lucky, she'd be able to sneak out with the rest of the guests. She decided that her news for her brother could wait. However, whoever was in charge of those kind of things, luck and everything related, decided that Rukia's luck had run out for the night.

From behind, Renji approached her as she was trying to sneak out with the remaining guests. "Where were you?" the red head asked, "Y'know, you didn't even say hello to the host. I may just be slum-bred, but even I know that that's rude."

"Lieutenant Abarai is right, Rukia. It is extremely rude."

An involuntary shudder rocked through Rukia's tiny frame. _I was so close. Damn Renji, thanks to him, Brother Byakuya has found me!_ she thought. "Oh, Brother Byakuya, how are you?" Rukia barely squeaked out. Her voice cracked up a notch. Well, she was trapped now. There was no way she was getting out of this one easily.

Byakuya didn't answer Rukia's question but instead asked his own. "Don't think that I didn't see you here, Rukia. I thought you would seek me out to greet me instead of the other way around. In fact, I was wondering why it seemed like you were going out of your way to avoid me?" he inquired in his normal superior tone. The look on his face implied that he expected an answer.

Rukia's mind scrambled to come up with a suitable and believable answer. "No reason! I was just preoccupied with speaking with your other guests!" she prattled on, "If I had known it would offend you so much I would have made more of an effort to speak with you…" she trailed off when she saw Byakuya's questioning glance. She chewed her lip apprehensively.

"She's lying, Captain Kuchiki. She bites her lip when she's lying; she did it all the time in the Rukongai," Renji informed his captain.

Byakuya raised his eyebrow in disapproval. "I don't appreciate you lying to me, Rukia. What are you trying to hide?"

Inwardly, Rukia was withering at the steadily more frigid glance her brother had turned on her. She was relieved that he appeared not to notice how tight her clothes were, but her relief was cancelled out by the fact that she was in trouble and she was painfully aware of it. Byakuya pursed his lips as he waited for an answer, however, when he saw that Rukia would not readily give one, he decided to switch tactics.

Byakuya softened his expression slightly before saying, maybe I can coax an answer out of you in my office."


	3. Telling Byakuya is a Scary Thing

**Disclaimer: I own none of Bleach. It belongs to Tite Kubo**

It had been months since Rukia had been inside the walls of Byakuya's office. After she had married Ichigo, she hadn't returned to the Kuchiki manor very often. Nothing had changed though. The cabinet with family records and Hisana's picture was still in its place, the low desk and zaisu were still in their place and the zabuton next to it. Nothing about the room had changed. Byakuya took his seat on at the desk while Renji took his seat beside Byakuya on the zabuton. When he saw that Rukia was sitting on the floor, he offered her the zabuton, which she gladly took. The three shinigami sat in silence before Byakuya asked, "Rukia, what is the matter?" Another short period of silence followed as Byakuya and Renji waited for Rukia to speak.

"Nothing, Brother, I'm fine…" she muttered. She kept her gaze on her hands. She was sure she had probably earned herself another one of Byakuya's glares for blatantly lying to him, and she was sure Renji was glaring at her, too. "I…would prefer not to talk about it at the moment," Rukia said quietly, "May I please go?" Based on the silence that met her, neither man was willing to take this as an answer. But she really did not want to tell them what _was_ going on. Her reluctance wasn't based on fear; it was Ichigo who should be afraid. She didn't know why she was so averse to explaining her current state.

"I await a proper explanation for your behavior, Rukia," Byakuya said solemnly, "We will sit here all night if that is what it takes for me to get an explanation."

_I'm not entirely possible for me. Not in my state; I need all the sleep I can get, _Rukia thought. The air felt too close suddenly and a wave of nausea washed over her. It was all she could do not to let her surprise creep up onto her face. Her usual morning sickness usually ended in the early afternoon. So why was she feeling so ill now? Rukia pursed her lips together tightly and tried to swallow down the sick feeling that was rising in her throat. If she vomited on her brother's floor, she would definitely have explaining to do.

"Are you alright, Rukia?" Renji asked. His head was resting on Byakuya's shoulder, but there was a look of concern in his eyes. "You look sick."

Rukia shot him a weak look and squeaked, "Brother Byakuya, would you please excuse me for a moment?"

Byakuya nodded but said, "Fine, but if this is some ploy to get away, you will wish you had stayed here."

Rukia thanked him before quickly leaving the room. Going outside would be quicker than running to the bathroom. The crisp night air was welcoming, cooling Rukia's brow. But she barely had a second to enjoy it before she was kneeling in the bushes, retching. Everything she had eaten that day, it seemed, was rejected until there was nothing left but water. She lay gasping for breath until she felt well enough to return to Byakuya's office, her mind racing. Perhaps she could blame her sudden nausea on something she ate at the party. No, that would offend Byakuya because it could imply that his cook had stocked rotten food or cooked a dish improperly. Maybe she could blame it on something she had eaten earlier? No, her sometimes-overprotective brother would take that to mean she couldn't cook for herself. She reentered the room and was met by two looks of concern.

"Rukia, what is going on?" Byakuya asked sternly. "Is this something common or are you becoming ill?"

There was no way Byakuya was going to leave her alone until he got what he wanted. She decided she might as well tell him the truth. "No, Brother, I'm not ill, nor am I becoming ill….I'm just…"

"You're just what?" Renji interjected when she hesitated.

"Pregnant," Rukia muttered. The looks on both Byakuya's and Renji's faces told her they had not heard her. She repeated herself weakly, "I'm not ill…I'm pregnant. I have been for nearly fourteen weeks now."

The silence that invaded the room was awkward and uncomfortable. Renji's tattooed eyebrows were raised and his eyes were wide, while Byakuya looked almost angry. "M-may I be excused now, Brother Byakuya? It's been a rather long day, and I'm feeling rather tired," Rukia stammered. Byakuya nodded robotically, and with a hurried goodbye, Rukia hurried out of the house and on her way home. She heard Renji yell, "Congratulations!" to her as she slipped out of the gate.


	4. Control

**Disclaimer: I own none of Bleach; it all belongs to Tite Kubo, who is an amazing man**

**I'm sorry for all the dialogue, but I wasn't sure how else to get the point across. I rewrote this chapter three times and I'm still not sure it's worth reading. Anyway…**

"Captain?" Renji asked tentatively.

"You do not have to address me by my title when we are alone, Renji," Byakuya replied in a monotone, "In fact, I'd prefer it if you did not."

Renji rested his head on Byakuya's shoulder. Rukia had been gone for nearly ten minutes and still Byakuya was tense. Renji got up and moved behind his captain and slowly began to knead his back and shoulders as if that could ease the stress out of him. "Captain?," he asked again, "Are you okay?" Byakuya was silent for a moment before letting out his breath through clenched teeth.

"I'll kill Ichigo," he murmured. "I'll cut him into pieces." He looked down and saw that his hands were clenched into fists.

Renji wrapped an arm around his lover's shoulders. "But then Rukia would be sad. You wouldn't want to make her sad, would you?" he said playfully. It did nothing to lighten Byakuya's mood, though. The jet haired man was not at all pleased by Rukia's news. He almost wished that she was ill. He greatly disliked Ichigo to begin with, so it was bad enough that Rukia had actually married him. Finding out that she had been impregnated barely a year into the marriage stung like a slap to the face.

"No, Renji, I wouldn't want to hurt Rukia," he murmured to the redhead resting on his shoulder. Byakuya stood up and took Renji's wrist. "Come on," he said and led him to their room. He suddenly wanted to lie down very much.

Byakuya and Renji rested on the futon with Renji kneeling and Byakuya resting his head on Renji's thigh. The younger man was working his fingers soothingly through the raven tresses spread out across his legs. Byakuya smiled with mild pleasure as Renji switched from stroking his hair to massaging his scalp. The feeling of the calloused fingers was calming and nearly all of his physical tension was gone now. The same could not be said for the mental of emotional stress he was feeling. He wasn't so much upset that Rukia was with child as that the child was Ichigo's. And it wasn't so much the pregnancy that bothered him so much as the undeniable things that had obviously gone on in the Kurosaki household and resulted in a pregnancy. The thought of it had him tensing up again. _How dare Ichigo…!_ Byakuya thought furiously. _When he gets back, I will make life a living hell for him._

"Byakuya?" Renji murmured quietly, "You're getting all tense again. You should calm down." He leaned over his captain, allowing his long red locks to fall over into Byakuya's face. He removed one hand from Byakuya's hair so he could stroke his face tenderly. The older man had been rather irate and dejected since he had found out his sister was pregnant a few hours earlier. Renji himself had no problem with it, but he knew Byakuya considered Ichigo to be a nuisance, a danger, and not at all worthy of Rukia. So, it stood to reason that this new development bothered him very much. "I think you scared Rukia," Renji said. "You actually looked angry when she told you, and she sound kind of alarmed when she said goodbye." Byakuya seemingly did not respond, so Renji continued talking. "Y'know, that's probably why she was so apprehensive about telling you…probably saw that reaction or worse coming. You can be scary when you're not happy."

"Can I now?" Byakuya asked mildly, absently. He had stopped listening to the younger man past "probably saw that reaction or worse coming". Had Rukia been afraid because she knew he'd react badly? That hurt. Slowly, he sat up and turned to face Renji. "Can I be off-putting or frightening when I'm unhappy about something?" he asked. He watched as the red head rubbed his neck and looked away. That was a bad sign. Renji was extremely honest, sometimes to a fault, and if the answer was "no" he would have told him. That he was hesitant to answer told Byakuya the worst. "Oh," he whispered dejectedly. He flopped back down on the bed and closed his eyes. People were scared of him, and Rukia had been afraid to tell him what could qualify as some of the most important news of her life. There had been a time when he could have cared less, but that was before he let the red head, who was now drawing circles on his chest, into his life.

To put it bluntly, their relationship was like the prince and the pauper. Byakuya was a member of one of Soul Society's Four Noble Families. Renji originated from the poor Rukongai District Inuzuri. They were about as far away from each other on the social spectrum as possible. In the beginning, Byakuya had been the epitome of the haughty and arrogant noble who was above everyone else. At first he had treated Renji condescendingly and almost cruelly with an oblivious disregard for the younger man's feelings. For the first month, he made Renji miserable, albeit unintentionally. It wasn't until the distraught red head reluctantly protested his treatment did Byakuya begin to change.

"Cap – Byakuya?" Renji asked. "Why exactly are you so unhappy about Ichigo and Rukia? I mean," now Renji began to tread carefully, "They're a great couple…" – silence - "and they get along…. and Ichigo takes care of Rukia, so why does it bother you so much?"

Byakuya was silent as he considered how to phrase his answer. Some people would call his feelings jealous, others overprotective. But Byakuya called it worry and fear. "Because Renji," he sighed, "ever since Rukia entered my life, I've wanted to keep her safe, and look at how many times I failed. When I had the _control_ in my hands, when it was my responsibility, I _failed_ so many times. How much more will I fail if Rukia's safety is not even in my control now?" He was quiet for a moment. He wasn't sure if Renji understood, because his usually talkative lover was silent. "I want to keep her safe," he explained, "But I no longer solely hold the power to do so anymore."

What Renji wanted to say was _Rukia's safety was never solely in you control_, but he thought that would further irritate his already aggravated love. Instead he said, "But, when you put it that way, you could hate anyone who had to protect Rukia. You could hate me or Captain Ukitake…"

Byakuya smiled a bit at Renji's confusion. He just didn't get it. "Before you and I became a couple, Renji, you often complained about how I insisted upon having complete order in my life," he said. He looked up to see Renji nod. "Before she fell in love with Ichigo, I was the most responsible for Rukia's protection. I interpreted that to mean control and power. Rukia was a member of the Kuchiki household and I could manipulate things so that she avoided dangerous assignments by preventing her from being and officer, I could shield her from danger by dictating her actions. When she married Ichigo, all that went away; I could not do any of that anymore. Ichigo became the most responsible for her safety, and wherever he goes, danger follows him and now, he is certain to drag her into it because they linked in the most absolute way possible."

When put like that, Renji could understand Byakuya's frustration. It was true, Ichigo was a magnet for danger and Rukia was more likely to follow him into a situation because he was he husband. And it was true that Byakuya could no longer manipulate things so that Rukia's life played out in the way he deemed safest. And for someone who valued order and control as Byakuya did, that was abhorrent.

Tenderly and slowly, Renji pulled Byakuya forward till he was nestled in his arms. "Do you know what you do when you lose control?" he asked. Byakuya was silent. He didn't know. "You stop trying to hold on to it, and you trust that another can take care of it. I'm not saying you shouldn't worry sometimes; that's what big brothers do. But give Ichigo a chance; he deserves that much at least," Renji whispered in Byakuya's ear.

"I've never given up control until it was wrenched from my grasp…" Byakuya muttered.

"Well then," Renji whispered as he lap Byakuya on his back, "you can learn to let go tonight and I'll take control. I think you'll like how it feels…" The look on his face was mischievous yet tender as he leaned over the raven-haired man and kissed him passionately.


	5. So Much Anxiety

**Disclaimer: much to my regret and sorrow, I do not own Bleach. Rather, Tite Kubo does. **

**Much to my joy, though, I do own this storyline.**

* * *

><p>"I heard that you're pregnant, Rukia," Rangiku said as she and Rukia were walking along the streets of Seireitei. It was to Rukia's chagrin that Rangiku knew because that meant that countless others in Soul Society knew also. Rukia had hoped the news would spread slowly, but that was a lost hope. "Do you know if it's going to be a boy or a girl yet?" Rangiku asked.<p>

"I want it to be a surprise, and since Ichigo never seems to be around when I can use the video monitor, I don't really see the point," Rukia replied rather dejectedly. She was getting worried about Ichigo, actually. It had been three weeks and she hadn't heard from him. "A few weeks" was over, which meant that things in the World of the Living had gone badly. She wanted Ichigo back home with her where she could be sure that he was safe.

"You still with me, Rukia?" Rangiku asked. "I asked you how Captain Kuchiki took the news."

Rukia stiffened at the question. Rangiku had hit a nerve. She was still smarting over Byakuya's displeasure at her pregnancy, and she tried to ignore the memory and the subsequent worries as much as possible. "As well as he takes anything that surprises him," Rukia admitted. She saw Rangiku grimace. It was true; Byakuya did not take surprises very well. She had hoped that he would take this one better than he had, but it was to be expected that he didn't. But what worried her most was the hard look in his eyes when she told him, as if he was angry that she was expecting. She had her thoughts, but none of them were good.

"He'll come around, eventually," Rangiku offered quietly. "It'll just take time."

Rukia sat resting in the home Ichigo had had built upon their marriage. It was a mix of western and traditional themes, and she liked it very much. It was comforting to sit in it and just think. And lately, comfort was what she needed. Between her worries about Byakuya and her worries about Ichigo, she had enough on her mind. On top of that, like any expectant mother, she was nervous about the welfare of baby, also. At her last check-up, Unohana had assured her that everything was going smoothly, but that was a month ago, and Rukia couldn't help but worry. It all left her feeling rather dejected.

She leaned back in her chair and smoothed her hands over the small yet distinct bump that was her stomach and sighed. Occasionally, if she was _very_ still, and focused on nothing but her baby, she thought she could feel the smallest of movements inside of her. It was at these times that she emerged from her depression and her worry. She closed her eyes and settled herself, pushing everything from her mind. _Will you move today?_ She thought to her little one. _I'd like that very much. _As if in answer to its mother's request, the baby shifted itself just the tiniest little bit. A grateful smile crept across Rukia's lips. _Thank you. _

That night, when she went to bed, the futon seemed too big. The spot where Ichigo usually lay was made up and to Rukia, lonely as she was without him, it seemed like a vast expanse of mattress and quilt with out her husband to fill it. She rolled into the middle of the futon to make the empty space seem smaller, but that didn't feel right either. It was pathetic really. Rukia slapped herself mentally for worrying about him. Ichigo could take care of himself, she knew. How many times had he told her and proved it to her? But she couldn't stop worrying. Maybe it was the baby that made her do it; she'd been told by several of her friends and comrades that she seemed more hormonal lately. "I miss you, Ichigo," she said aloud, "I really, really miss you. I want you to come back home." She lay there for what seemed to be a long while before getting up and going to Ichigo's wardrobe. She drew out one of his yukata and breathed in his comforting and familiar scent. She slept with it all night.

* * *

><p>The next day, was normal was any other day was. Rukia's morning sickness was finally subsiding, which she was very glad of. She'd started to wear larger clothes because her stomach was no longer small enough to even squeeze herself into her normal clothing, and she refused to start wearing maternity clothing just yet. Next was a hearty breakfast to sate her ravenous appetite, and then off to the Thirteenth Division buildings. A wayward thought wandered into her head as she left her house. She wondered if Captain Ukitake had found out about her pregnancy yet. She was going to have to start considering maternity leave soon. Running around killing Hollows probably wasn't so safe for her or her baby.<p>

It was still early morning when Rukia set out, and the air was crisp and cool. It was a nice sort of air to walk in, especially when she wanted to start the day with a clear head. She'd begun to mentally list the things that she needed to get done: talking to Captain Ukitake about maternity leave, having her check up with Unohana, and speaking with Byakuya, among other more minor things. She wasn't looking forward to any of them, but she wasn't going to let that bother her now. The rest of the day would be stressful enough, so she would take the relaxation she could get now.

Her peace was interrupted by a rather familiar voice. "Hey, Rukia! What do you mean by passing us on the road and not saying good morning?" Renji yelled as he easily caught up with her. "Y'know, some people consider that rude, but I'll let it pass," he laughed. "On your way to the Thirteenth Division?" Rukia nodded. She'd been so wrapped up in her own head that she hadn't even noticed Renji and her brother.

"Good morning, Renji. My apologies for ignoring you," she greeted him. "I was thinking, and I wasn't aware I was passing you. My eyes have gotten too used to that red hair of yours. It doesn't startle me into seeing you anymore. Perhaps you should die it green, or something" She allowed the tiniest of smiles to creep onto her lips. She was feeling lighthearted enough right now to tease the Sixth Division lieutenant. For a moment Renji ran his fingers through his ponytail as he tried to decide whether she was joking or not, and then he laughed. He understood. Rukia's smile grew bigger just a little bit.

Byakuya began to pass them, having picked up his pace. "Good morning, Brother," Rukia said cheerfully. Byakuya acknowledged her greeting with a sideways glance and a nod, and he continued walking without any further interaction with her. _He didn't even talk to me_, Rukia thought partially in shock and dismay, _It's been a week since I told him, and he's still mad? I…_. Rukia didn't know what to think. Already she could feel her lighthearted peaceful feeling slipping away.

* * *

><p>"Well, all done, Rukia. Everything is as it should be. You're progressing nicely," Captain Unohana said cheerfully. She had showed Rukia her baby through use of the ultrasound and Rukia had listened to her baby's heartbeat. Usually, after things like being weighed being asked questions about her pregnancy in between visits, Rukia began to cheer up, but today, Unohana noticed that she was still downcast. "Rukia, you look sad. Is something the matter?" she asked her patient. Rukia looked at her. Her eyes looked so sad and worried right now.<p>

Rukia looked up at Unohana miserably. What was bothering her was a private issue, just between herself and Byakuya. But it hurt so much to keep her worries inside. She'd really hoped Byakuya would react with some semblance of approval to her news and he had reacted so very badly. She had hoped that his dislike of Ichigo wouldn't carry over to any children she had, but, apparently, she had been wrong to hope that. That had been a crushing disappointment. When she looked at Unohana, her face was so inviting, like she could listen to anything and understand. And when Rukia started to tell her, the words tumbled out after each other.

"I…I…" she faltered. "It's Brother Byakuya," she choked miserably. "I told him I was pregnant a week ago. And he didn't tale it well." Rukia took a breath before forging on. "And then, today, I said good morning and all he did was nod at me, so I know he's still angry," she added.

Unohana nodded. "Are you sure he's not just coming to terms with your news?" she asked uncertainly. It wasn't like Byakuya to treat his younger sister so curtly. "You know he doesn't take surprises this big very well."

Rukia, however, shook her head despondently. "No, you should have seen the look in his eyes when I told him. It wasn't shock or – or surprise. It almost looked like anger. And…and…" to Rukia's extreme chagrin, her voice caught. "I thought that surely he'd be able to get past the fact that this baby is Ichigo's child. I know he doesn't like Ichigo, and I know he was very upset when I married him. But I didn't think his dislike was so intense that it would carry over to our children. It isn't fair to my ba-baby," Rukia was crying now. "My baby shouldn't have to suffer his dislike just because of who her father is."

Unohana didn't say anything. The motherly nurturing part of her decided that would be best. She simply put her arms around Rukia and let her cry.


	6. Missing him lots

**I'm Baaack. I know you missed me (or didn't). I'm so sorry this took so long to write and upload. I was away at Fencing Camp for a week, and had no laptop and no internet, so no writing got done then. And then when I got back, I wrote this chapter three times and scrapped every single draft. This is the final draft, and it's really short, and pretty awful in general, but I hope it's at least tolerable. As for my other story, The Beach and Other Things: Fun in the Human World, I'm still working on that, but I'm having some Writer's Block issues with that, so it might be a while before you see another upload with that. **

**Apparently, wishing on bent potato chips, birthday candles, and shooting stars doesn't work because I still don't own Bleach or the characters. The only thing I own is the original elements/storylines that I come up with.**

**Reviews are appreciated, in fact, they are sought after greedily, and thy make my world go 'round. Flames will be read but they will only be used to light future birthday candles.**

**Sorry it's so short, but here is the next chapter!**

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><p>Rukia had taken to sleeping in the front room every night. She wanted to be right there when Ichigo finally came home. Her worries about him had become a dull and continuous ache in her heart and mind in the four and a half weeks that had passed. She still had no idea how he was doing; at this point, she wasn't even sure he was still in Karakura Town.<p>

It was becoming increasingly difficult to rest for Rukia. She no longer to wait and hope her baby would decide to move. The little one let her know it was there and alive, mostly when Rukia was trying to rest or sleep. While she was pleased that her child was seemingly healthy, the constant jabbing and kicking was tiring, and sometimes it hurt. This was what was keeping her up now, as she stared blankly at the front door. She smoothed her hands over the somewhat prominent bulge that was her stomach, silently pleading with her little one to calm down so she could go to sleep. But obviously, the baby had no such intentions and made this clear with a rather sharp jab.

"You're just like your father, you know that? He would have done the same thing in your position," Rukia whispered fondly. A soft pressure against her in response. "Did you hear me?" she asked. She didn't actually think the child had heard her, but she liked to think it had. She pulled herself into a sitting position on the couch and sat, staring at the door somewhat hopefully. It remained shut tight, though. It appeared that Ichigo would not be returning tonight.

Rukia sighed, a note of dejection in her voice. She lay back down on the couch and drew the blanket over her. She shut her eyes, and tried to go to sleep….

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><p>Rukia tried to move her arms from her sides and found that she couldn't. They weren't exactly what she would call pinned, but they were certainly secured. She struggled lightly, she wasn't entirely panicked yet, and found that the pressure that held her limbs captive disappeared. She immediately wheeled, and let out a surprised yelp before nearly toppling over the edge of the couch.<p>

"You bastard!"

The figure on the couch looked at her, his face the epitome of regret and repentance. "I guess the first thing I should say is that I'm sorry…." He began.

"Shut up," Rukia snapped. But her anger disappeared with the very words. She flung her arms around Ichigo's neck and burst into tears. "I _missed _you bastard. I _**missed**_ you so much. It's been horrible without you," she half-sobbed.

Ichigo gently ran his fingers through his wife's hair as she cried. "I didn't know I would be gone for such a long time," he murmured. "I came across some Hollows while I was away, and they escaped to Hueco Mundo. Their battle techniques were extremely dangerous. Kisuke didn't want to risk it getting back to the World of the Living, so he insisted that we go hunt it down. And…well… there are a lot of Hollows in Hueco Mundo. It took a long time to find it, especially with the Arrancars running around." He was silent for a moment before saying, "I'm _so_ sorry, Rukia, love. I didn't think I would be away so long, and all I could think about while I was away was you…and our little one."

Rukia didn't answer him; she only nuzzled her nose deeper into his neck. She'd missed him for two months, and she wasn't letting go of him anytime soon.

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><p>Rukia smiled sheepishly as she sat down on the futon in their bedroom. Tonight would mark the first time she had slept in bed for almost two weeks. She looked at the yukata Ichigo held in his hands. He simply raised a questioning eyebrow, and Rukia felt a light blush spread across her cheeks. "I couldn't sleep at night, and you scent was comforting…" she muttered. She felt strong, muscled arms wrap around her and pull her back against their owner. Ichigo's hot breath tickled her neck.<p>

"So," Ichigo asked in a mischievous tone, "How dead am I?"

It took Rukia a moment to process what her husband was asking before she understood. She smiled widely. "Oh, you're very dead," she snickered. "Brother is furious at you, you know." She laughed, which surprised her. She had thought she would be more upset telling Ichigo about Byakuya's reaction, but she wasn't. Ichigo was home, and nothing was going to ruin her good mood for the rest of the night.

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><p><strong>Please review. I love to get feedback. And be brutally honest. I can't become a better writer if I don't get criticized at least a little...<strong>


	7. Talking To Sister

**Hello my dears, I'm back!**

**I am soooo sorry that I have not written in so long. School is a cruel ... yeah, school is busy. I'm not entirely sure I like this chapter (so much dialogue and so many little sections) but here it is.**

** Here's my one warning: I got a review complaining about making Byakuya gay. This chapter mainly focuses on Byakuya and Renji. If this bothers you, skip this chapter and I'll make sure to put a summary, sans interactions between Byakuya and Renji, in the next chapter. Also, by 'interactions', I do not mean lemons. So those of you who are going to read this, don't get your hopes up.**

**Also, next chapter, a little bit of a time skip so, no complaining**

**Keep up the reviews and the favorites as well, but especially the reviews. I can always do with some encouragement and/or criticism**

**Note:**

**Apparently, throwing coins in wishing wells doesn't work either because I **_**still**_** don't own Bleach. **

**Reviews are much loved, and they make me so very happy. *_* Flames will be read, but won't be considered much. **

**Enjoy!**

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><p>It was all Byakuya could do to not seek Ichigo out and strike him down where he stood. He'd been on edge ever since his hated brother in-law had returned from the World of the Living. Despite Renji's previous words (AN_: That would be in chapter 4)_ he was still smarting over his feelings of anger and hopelessness; seeing the object of his anger didn't help anything. It felt like a punch to the gut seeing Ichigo laughing and bragging about how adorable his child was going to be and how he and Rukia were going to be the best parents ever. It felt like a foot to the face whenever he saw the two of them together. He'd once caught Ichigo with his arms around Rukia, his hands flush against her stomach. Byakuya had almost wrung his neck right there and then.

"Good morning, Brother," a voice said from beside him. He looked down to see Rukia standing beside him with an oddly hopeful look plastered across her face. He looked down to face her before saying tersely, "Good morning, Rukia." He didn't have anything else to say to her. What could he say? _I wish you hadn't married that Kurosaki-boy, _or, _It hurts to see you everyday with Ichigo like this because I can't let go of being your protector. I can't hand that role over to that boy. _

He turned from her and continued off down the road to the 6th Division. Just before turning his back on her, Byakuya saw Rukia's face fall. He knew his coldness was hurting her, but he was sure that if he actually told her what he was actually feeling it would hurt her even more.

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><p>Though he would never admit it, Byakuya got chills down his spine when he heard the wind-chime voice say, "I would like to speak with you about something." Aside from Captain Commander Yamamoto, Captain Unohana was the only other captain that Byakuya actually feared. He didn't know why she scared him so much. He had never seen her fight, and he had never even seen her get angry, yet somehow, he, like the rest of the Seireitei, found her to be terrifying especially when there was a possibility she was unhappy. Based off her oddly even tone, Byakuya could tell that she was displeased about something. He would be a fool to think that he could refuse to speak with her and get away unscathed, so with an inward sigh of dreading, he nodded curtly and followed her to her office.<p>

Unohana motioned toward the seat across from her desk, and stiffly, Byakuya sat. Unohana took a seat her desk and folded her hands, much like a headmistress scolding a disobedient child. "I spoke with Rukia the other day," Unohana said. Her voice betrayed no emotion; it was even and flat. "She seemed rather distraught about your attitude toward her pregnancy. She really hoped you'd be pleased." She let the words fall between them. The look in her eyes dared him to try and make an excuse for his treatment of his sister. "She thinks that you're mad that the baby is Ichigo's. **Is that so**?" The words Unohana spoke were unthreatening enough and her voice was cheery enough, but Byakuya did not miss the dangerous glint in her eyes. The heavy admonishment he was receiving was not lost on him, and he did not miss Unohana's simmering anger, either.

Byakuya was silent for a long moment as he considered how to best answer the simple question. No, he wasn't exactly upset anymore that the child was _Ichigo's_. To be honest, he would be upset if it was _any_ man in Soul Society's child. He had his reasons (_A/N – once again, in ch. 4) _for being upset and there were very few people he felt comfortable explaining them to, and Unohana wasn't one of them. Haltingly, fearing Unohana's potential wrath, Byakuya said, "I'd rather not say…"

Unohana was quiet for a moment. She pursed her lips before sighing, "I suppose you have the right to keep your reasons to yourself. But I'm going to ask one thing of you, Captain Kuchiki. I don't care how private those reasons may be, but tell Rukia, whether they are justified or not. She has enough to worry about without having to worry about how you feel. And please have that conversation soon." _Have it soon, or else….._

"I'll take your words into consideration, Captain," Byakuya said as he rose to leave.

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><p>"You got <em>Captain Unohana<em> mad?"

The disbelief was evident in both Renji's face and voice. "You're still alive, though, so I guess she wasn't too mad," he said with a touch of relief to his voice. He was silent for a moment, thinking, before asking, "What was she mad about?"

Byakuya was silent as the events of the morning ran through his head. Not much had happened after his "talk" with Captain Unohana. He considered himself lucky to have gotten off with little more than an unspoken threat. However, as silent as the threat may have been, he knew he didn't have much time to have the dreaded conversation with his sister. The 4th Division captain was angry enough with him as it was; he didn't need to give her any more reason to dislike him.

"She is of the opinion that my behavior towards Rukia has been less than acceptable….which it has," Byakuya replied dully. He pressed his brush to the paper with unnecessary force leaving an unsightly blot next to his signature. "However, I am not of a mind to do what she requires to appease her, so I am trapped between a rock and a hard place as I believe the saying goes."

Renji was quiet. Byakuya was visibly perturbed, which was rather odd him. It seemed that he was that disturbed over Captain Unohana's masked threat. To Renji, it seemed that the easiest and least painful way out of the predicament was to have a talk with Rukia. It would be uncomfortable, for sure, but it would be far better than anything Captain Unohana had planned for Byakuya, Besides, talking could prove good for both him and Rukia; it was clear that the siblings had some things that they needed to clear up.

"You could just talk to Rukia, Byakuya," Renji ventured. "Ichigo doesn't have to be involved…." One sideways glance from his partner told him that Byakuya was not open to suggestions.

"Ne, Byakuya," Renji ventured again, "What do you think Captain Unohana will do you when she finds out you haven't spoken to Rukia?" Byakuya stiffened visibly, Renji could not keep a slight smirk off his face. "She can be scary, you know? Izuru said that he accidentally insulted her once while he was in the 4th Division, and he'll never be fooled by that smile of her again. I think he's permanently traumatized by that event." Renji paused and turned his eyes towards his lover to see what effect his words had taken. He continued, "When I was in the 11th Division, Captain Zaraki said that the only captain he was afraid of was her. I think she beat him in a round of kendo or something." Renji said these last words in hushed tones as if he were speaking of some holy creature.

"Shut up, Renji," Byakuya said through his teeth. "I'm trying to concentrate and your unnecessary words are interrupting me. I do not need you to tell me what I should do, nor do I need you to try and threaten or coax me into doing it." He jammed the brush against the paper.

Renji was quiet for a moment. He had meant to tease his lover a bit, but he had not expected the rather harsh reply. He got up, slightly stung, and said, "I'm going to bed."

Byakuya listened to the thud of Renji's feet as the redhead made his way down the walkway to the bedroom. He had not meant to hurt Renji, yet he had spoken very harshly nonetheless. Renji's words, as teasing as they were, troubled him. It was childish to fear the smiling and cheerful captain of the 4th Division, yet he could not help the feeling of misgiving that seeped through his mind. The masked threat she had made seemed very real, and the most frightening part was that she had left it hanging over him. She had made no promise as to just what she would do if he did not speak to Rukia; instead she just said she would do…_something_. "Something" was intimidating. Renji's stories, real or not were absolutely no comfort; they were the last thing Byakuya wanted to hear.

All the same, Byakuya had to admit that he had spoken with appalling rudeness and harshness, and that was inexcusable. With a sigh, he rose and made his way off to the bedroom. Renji, as tough as he seemed on the outside, had turned out to be surprisingly sensitive, Byakuya had found out. Renji could take orders and get through the most backbreaking tasks, but he tended to fall to pieces the moment Byakuya expressed displeasure at something he had done. Byakuya found it rather endearing, but he also found that he had to be more careful than he used to about what he said to the younger man. When he had first started a relationship with Renji, he (his arrogant stupid self as he always thought) had been free with his words, he was pedantic, and he criticized everything Renji did or said. The younger man was obviously slum-bred and unrefined, and Byakuya had mercilessly attacked every fault that presented itself. At first, Renji had taken it bravely, but as time went on, cracks began to show and the young man began to obsess over everything he did. He had stood up to Byakuya when he hadn't been able to take it anymore, but after that, Renji tended to shut down whenever Byakuya was unnecessarily harsh with him. So now, Byakuya was on his way to make things right with his redheaded companion.

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><p>When Byakuya entered the bedroom, he found Renji stretched out on the futon, staring at the ceiling. He didn't say anything when Byakuya entered the room, nor did he look at him. Without a word, Byakuya sat down on the futon and lifted the younger man's head onto his lap. Silently, he began to comb his fingers through Renji's fiery hair before switching to massaging his scalp.<p>

"'m sorry," Renji began.

"No, Renji," Byakuya interrupted. "I shouldn't have snapped at you. I was in the wrong; I apologize." He was quiet until Renji spoke.

"No, it's okay," Renji said quietly. "It's alright…"

"Hm?" Byakuya said when he noticed Renji had trailed off.

Renji was quiet before slowly continuing. "You should still talk to Rukia; I think that would good for both of you. But…if you won't talk to her just yet, I can do it for you, just so she knows…." he mumbled.

Byakuya allowed a small smile to grace his face and nodded wordlessly. He was rewarded by a small smile on Renji's face.

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><p>Renji knocked on the rather small house near the 5th Division where Rukia and Ichigo lived. It was a several moments before someone answered the door. When the door was opened, it was Rukia who opened it. She was far larger than the last time Renji had gotten the time to speak to her for any length of time longer than a minute or two.<p>

"What brings you here today, Renji?" Rukia asked cheerfully. She ushered for him to sit down in the living room before taking a seat herself. She grimaced a bit before rubbing her stomach. "I wish that the baby would be calm when I sit or lie down. That's when my little one seems to prefer moving about, and the kicking hurts a bit," she said with a tired laugh. "Anyway, did you just come to talk, or was there something you wanted?"

"Er," Renji stammered, "I came to talk about…Byakuya."

For a few moments, the only noise in the room was the sound of Rukia rocking back and forth in her rocking chair. "Oh," Rukia said quietly. "What about him."

"Look, I know he's been kind of cold and stand-offish since you told him about the baby, and I know you've been really upset about it," Renji said.

"It's okay; I figured he'd be upset," Rukia murmured with a twinge of sadness in her voice.

"It's not about Ichigo!" Renji interjected. "Well, it was, but it's not about that now."

Rukia simply turned to look at him.

"I think that it's just a lot of stuff that he never really said that's been bothering him for a while. He always wanted to keep you safe and protected under his wing, and then you fell in love with Ichigo and then you got married, and I think that for him, that was kind of like losing the ability to keep you safe. He kind of feels like he lost the ability to keep you safe to Ichigo, and you know he thinks Ichigo is a danger magnet," Renji said.

Rukia stared at Renji for a long moment before saying, "What does this have to do with my baby?"

"Well….a baby kind of cements things for him, I think. It's like a baby binds you two together absolutely, so he's forced to completely forfeit any ability to watch over you," Renji explained slowly. "Your baby kind of seals the deal." Renji rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I'm not good at explaining these things…but do you understand?"

Rukia gave Renji a half smile. "I understand; it helps to know. Thanks, Renji," she sighed. She slowly got up and waddled over to give Renji a hug. "You just took a huge load off of my shoulders. Thank you."

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><p>Renji returned to the Kuchiki Manor later that evening after a trip to the bar with some of the other lieutenants. He found Byakuya alone, resting in the bedroom. "I spoke to Rukia today," Renji said. "You just have to give her your blessing now." He collapsed on the futon and snuggled close to his lover.<p>

"Thank you, Renji. Hopefully Captain Unohana won't come for my hide now," Byakuya said with a hint of playfulness in his voice.

Renji didn't answer, just smiled against Byakuya's side. Suddenly, feeling very mischievous, he turned and pinned the older man. He only smiled and snickered when Byakuya cocked an eyebrow.

"Do you really wish to play this game, Renji?" Byakuya asked with mock solemnity. Renji nodded.

Barely ten seconds passed before Renji was pinned beneath Byakuya. "You're in a lot of trouble, now, Renji," Byakuya said, leaning close to Renji's ear.

Renji could feel a slight chill of anticipation run down his spine. "I'm fine with trouble, Bya," he whispered.


	8. Surprises and Reconciliation

**Hello, everybody! So, I made an effort to get this uploaded before any insane stretch of time passed (like last time), but I failed. Anyway, TIME SKIP! By several weeks actually. Also, there is a little surprise for you all in this chapter, and please DON'T get on me for it being too far fetched. Things like it have happened. I have tried everything I can think of, and yet, I still don't own Bleach. I absolutely LOVE it when the Review Fairy comes around and sprinkles fairy dust over my stories; it makes me so happy! Flames will be read, but since I recently gained a fondness for apples roasted in fire, that will be the only thing I'll be using them for.**

**Also, I did say that I would include a brief summary of last chapter for those who don't appreciate the fact that Byakuya and Renji are together.**

**Basically, Unohana threatens Byakuya with something (nothing specified) if he doesn't tell Rukia why he is being so cold towards her. Despite the fact that the threat unnerves him, Byakuya opts to not tell Rukia, and to avoid having Unohana come after Byakuya, Renji tells her instead.**

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><p><strong>"<strong>I don't know," Kiyone said a bit worriedly as she looked at Rukia. "Isane wasn't this big when she and Harunobu had their baby. You are _huge_!"

Rukia fixed Kiyone with something between a wry smile and a glare. "Thank you, Kiyone, for bringing that to my attention. I'll remember you said that when you start having babies with Sentaro," Rukia replied in a syrupy sweet voice. She was satisfied to see that her words left Kiyone speechless. "Besides, I only look so big because I'm rather short; I'm not nearly as tall as your sister." With some effort, she rose from her chair to pour herself a cup of water.

"S-Sentaro and I will never be like that!" Kiyone protested vehemently. She leapt to her feet. "What even gave you an idea like that?"

"Everyone thinks the same as me; no two people can fight as much as you two and not have _some _feelings for each other," Rukia replied smugly. She let out a tired sigh before sitting back down. "Walking is so hard these days."

"But I thought you'd gotten used to the baby moving around?" Kiyone said in confusion.

"Yes, but since I'm so close to my due date, he's moved down to my hips, and that makes it nearly impossible to walk," Rukia replied. She leaned back in the couch and spread her legs out a bit, trying to get comfortable.

"It's very annoying how you do that," Kiyone said somewhat absently.

"How I do what?" Rukia asked.

"How you refer to the baby with he or she so no one can ever figure out whether you're having a boy or a girl."

Rukia let out light laugh. She rubbed a hand over her swollen tummy. "Only I know that secret. Ichigo wants the baby's sex to be a surprise, and I just love watching the rest of you squirm while you try to figure it out. It's only a few more weeks until the baby comes, so you'll all find out soon enough," she said.

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><p>That night, Rukia found it impossible to get comfortable as she waited for Ichigo to return home from the office. She had found as her pregnancy progressed and her child grew larger as did she that she could only sleep comfortably if she was sitting up with something to cradle her on both sides. Captain Unohana had told her to sleep on her left side with a pillow under her stomach, but Rukia had quickly found that she was most comfortable sleeping sitting up. However, she could only get any sleep if she had something to cradle her, which no pillow she had tried could do effectively. Ichigo had generously and selflessly opted to also sleep sitting up, with his arms wrapped around his wife so that she could get some much needed sleep at night.<p>

But of course, Ichigo was working late tonight, and tired as she was, Rukia could not sleep without his assistance. She tried arranging the pillows around herself as snugly as possible, but that didn't provide the comfort Ichigo had. With a sigh, Rukia rolled over, resigned to at least part of a night without sleep. She lay still for a moment before she felt a small movement inside of her. Tenderly, she looked down at her stomach and smiled. "Are you getting restless, little one?" she asked quietly. The baby shifted a bit as if in response. "You won't have to wait very long," Rukia responded. "I'm ready to meet you and I know your father is, too."

Apparently, Rukia fell asleep because she awoke to the feeling of being lifted into someone's lap. Ichigo had returned from work and was in the act of resuming his role as his wife's sleep aid. Looking up into Ichigo's face, Rukia mumbled, "Doesn't that hurt your back, sitting up all night?"

With a tired laugh, Ichigo replied, "Doesn't that hurt your back, carrying around a baby for the better part of a year?"

Rukia didn't respond, but she knew that Ichigo's response was his way of thanking her for carrying his baby for so long. She could feel his large hands resting one her large stomach, and his arms were around her, and she felt comfortable. "I love you, Ichigo," she mumbled before nodding off to sleep.

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><p>"I won't miss these once I've had my baby," Rukia said as Captain Unohana squirted gel onto her stomach. "I hate how cold it feels."<p>

Captain Unohana laughed lightly as she began to spread the gel around. "Yes, but I think you'll miss the feeling of seeing how much your baby has grown each time you have an ultrasound," she replied.

Rukia rolled her eyes. "I'll have my baby with me, so I won't need an ultrasound."

For a few minutes, Captain Unohana ran the probe over Rukia's stomach. Then suddenly, she ran the probe back over the same area she had just moments before. She gasped softly. Rukia started immediately upon hearing the gasp. "What's wrong?" she cried, "Is my baby alright?"

Captain Unohana was silent for a moment before whispering, "There…there are **two**. There are two babies."

Rukia was completely still for a moment before craning her neck to see the monitor. Indeed, on the screen there were two babies. Rukia didn't know whether to be happy or distraught. She was going to be a mother to two children, but she and Ichigo had only prepared for one. There was room enough in her heart and home for another, but there were barely two weeks left until her due date. That wasn't time enough to amass the clothes and extra supplies needed to care for an additional baby.

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><p>Rukia left the Fourth Division in a mental frenzy. Her mind was in a million places that all connected to her babies. All the way back to her house, her mind was racing as she tried to sort through the sudden influx of thoughts. Upon arriving home she immediately collapsed upon the couch and tried to calm down. It would do no good to stress herself out worrying, though. She lay there until the door opened and Ichigo walked in. Languidly, Rukia turned her head to face her husband.<p>

Alarmed at Rukia's seeming lethargy, Ichigo hurried to the couch. "Are you feeling alright, Rukia?" he asked worriedly. He began to feel her face for signs of fever.

"I'm fine, Ichigo," Rukia sighed. "Just worried is all."

Ichigo's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why are you so worried? The baby is okay, right?"

Rukia slowly sat up and looked Ichigo in the eyes. In a level, deliberate voice she said, "Captain Unohana found another baby during my ultrasound….we're having twins." She held Ichigo's shocked stare, trying to keep calm once again. Without breaking her gaze, Rukia found Ichigo's hands and laced her fingers through his. "It's okay, Ichigo. I'm okay, our babies are okay, and you're going to be okay, too," she told her husband quietly.

Ichigo blinked as if he had been interrupted from his thoughts. "Yeah," he said nodding as a small smile curled his lip, "we'll be fine. We just have to get busy getting ready for our new addition." He gave Rukia's hands a light squeeze before asking, "Have you told anyone yet?"

"Just you," Rukia admitted. "I guess we should tell Byakuya and Renji."

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><p>"That's great, I guess?" Renji said upon hearing the news. "Are you guys fine with that?" He couldn't keep his eyes from falling to look at Rukia's huge stomach.<p>

Rukia rubbed her abdomen almost reflexively before replying, "Yes, we're perfectly happy; we just have to get everything ready for our second baby." Her eyes then turned to her brother, who had said nothing so far. She held his eyes, silently asking for him to say something.

A long period of silence elapsed before Ichigo said rather coolly, "She's clearly asking you something _Byakuya, _so could you answer her?"

Renji turned to his lover and gave him a slight nudge before giving him a slight glare.

With a sigh and a reluctant and weak smile, Byakuya said, "I give you and your children my blessing." He paused before continuing, "And I am glad you are having two children, little sister." Had she been able to jump up, Rukia would have, she was so happy to finally receive her brother's blessing for her children. Byakuya, however, was gracious enough to get up from his zaisu to give his sister the embrace she had been longing for since she had told him of her pregnancy.

The hug was interrupted by Rukia crying out in pain. All three men in the room startled immediately. "What is it, Rukia?" Ichigo yelled. "Are you in labor?"

Recovering, Rukia shook her head and mumbled, "No…Just a sharp kick; they're still active."

Renji winced and let out a slight laugh. "Is that what I have to look forward to in a bit less than a year?"

Byakuya shared a knowing look with his lover while Rukia and Ichigo expressed their surprise.


	9. Baby Time

**Baby time, everyone! I apologize in advance to anyone who happens to be a mother or a doctor or anyone who knows these things. I am willing to bet anything that the labor scenes are wildly incorrect. I did a little research to at least make an effort, but you know, research only tells so much. I'm young and have never had a kid, so I don't know. Anyway, as always, I don't own Bleach. I wished at 11:11 both in the A.M. and the P.M., but it didn't work. Also, I **_**LOVE **_**it when the review fairy sprinkles her fairy dust on my stories, so please do review. This is the second to last chapter of this story, and for those of you who are interested, I'm going to begin work on a story following Renji and Byakuya through the last half of Renji's pregnancy (revealed in chapter 8).**

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><p>A week after Rukia's reconciliation with Byakuya found her and Ichigo snuggled together on the couch in the front room. For once, Rukia was perfectly comfortable. She didn't feel stiff or sore anywhere, and was content to just sit in her husband's lap. The couple sat like that for an hour before Rukia began to nod off. Lately, she'd been perpetually tired and hadn't been able to get much sleep because of the constant discomfort she was in. But now that she was finally comfortable, Rukia couldn't fight the urge to go to sleep. She leaned her head back against Ichigo's shoulder and closed her eyes. She could feel Ichigo's hand rest on her stomach just before she fell asleep.<p>

Rukia didn't no how long she'd been sleeping when a sudden pressure wrapped around the base of her uterus. She let a surprised gasp; she felt no pain, but the pressure had been sudden. She could feel Ichigo's chin rest on her shoulder as her peeked at her face. "Are you alright?" he asked. His face seemed slightly worried.

"I'm fine, Ichigo. Just Braxton Hicks," Rukia muttered tiredly before settling again. Beneath her, she could feel Ichigo relax and settle once more. Again, Rukia closed her eyes and dozed off. She was able to sleep this time without interruption, and for another hour, the couple sat together. When Rukia awoke, she was lying alone on the couch. For a moment, she wondered where Ichigo was before hearing the sound of someone moving around in the kitchen. With much effort, Rukia lifted herself off the couch and waddled into the kitchen. Inside, she found Ichigo making stir-fry. It was a simple recipe, about all Ichigo was able to manage with his limited cooking skills, but it smelled good, and it made Rukia's mouth water.

"That smells nice," Rukia commented before leaning against Ichigo.

"Well, I learned from the best," Ichigo replied with a tender smile. "You like your with extra soy sauce, right?"

"The tuna is a bit undercooked," Rukia observed. "Clearly you weren't paying attention when I showed you how to make this." Playfully, she elbowed Ichigo out of the way and began to stir the cabbage, onion, and fish more. Beside her, she was sure she saw Ichigo roll his eyes in amusement at her pernickety habits in the kitchen.

Satisfied with the meal, Ichigo had prepared, Rukia was about to give him spot at the oven back, but was startled by a sudden rush of much liquid down her legs. "Ahh!" she cried before stepping backwards into Ichigo's arms. Looking down, Rukia could see a clear puddle on the floor where she had been standing. Quietly, she said, "My water just broke."

"Shouldn't we call Captain Unohana or Isane?" Ichigo asked. "Your contractions haven't started yet." Ichigo sounded nervous, but even so, his voice was leveled as if he were trying to stay calm so as not to excite Rukia.

"No, I'd prefer to wait a bit. Captain Unohana said we only _have _to call her before I start labor if the contractions don't come within 48 hours of my water breaking. Besides, aside from feeling somewhat disgusting right now, I feel perfectly fine. _You_ need to calm down, dear," Rukia said before stepping away from Ichigo. "I'm going to take a shower."

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><p>The warm water spattering on her body was extremely calming and relaxing for Rukia. She wasn't panicked or extremely worried, but she could feel a small bubble of anxiety in her chest. She had decided she wasn't going to have an epidural or any pain medications in general, and she was worried about how she was going to deal with the pain. She was also worried about delivering twins. As far as she knew, both of her babies were positioned head down, and she was planning to deliver them naturally. But as much as she was anticipating her babies' birth, she was worried about whether she would have the energy and tolerance to deliver both. She didn't want a C-section or any other intervention.<p>

Once she had taken a shower, Rukia felt much better. She was just finishing dressing when she felt a somewhat intense pain curl around the base of her spine and into her pelvis. With a groan, she leaned against the wall and waited the pain out. It lasted for about a minute before she was able to go in search of Ichigo. Rukia found him in the nursery looking tenderly at the furniture, decorations, and toys that filled it. With Byakuya and Renji's help (along with a few others) Rukia and Ichigo had been able to gather the necessary items for another child within the week, and all of Rukia's worries had been laid to rest. She remembered how earlier this week, she had directed Ichigo to move all the furniture around to accommodate the new things, and how much he had groaned every time she wanted something rearranged. But as nice as the nursery looked, that was close to the back of her mind now. The contraction she had just had was worse than her last. Captain Unohana had said that contractions grew stronger and more intense the closer to the babies' birth, and Rukia was becoming nervous. However, she didn't want to worry Ichigo, and this was only the first contraction of what she thought was early labor. She decided she would tell him if her next one came in less that an hour.

"It's perfect, isn't it?" Ichigo asked, noticing that Rukia had entered. He turned to look at her tenderly. "Before long, those cribs won't be empty anymore," he said, kneeling in front of her. He touched his cheek to her stomach and stayed there for a few moments. He then swept Rukia up and sat with her in his lap in the rocking chair next to the window. "I love you, babe," he whispered in her ear.

"Love you, too, sweetey," Rukia mumbled. She leaned her head back, hoping to go to sleep so she would have enough energy for the big event. However, she only got a few minutes worth before she felt the same pressure and burning she had before. She cringed, and let out a cry.

"Another contraction?" Ichigo asked somewhat tensely.

"Yeh," Rukia gasped as she rode it out. "What time is it?" she asked.

"It's 11:30," Ichigo replied.

"20 minutes apart. Find a piece of paper and write that down," Rukia told him.

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><p>Nine hours had passed since Rukia had begun labor, and she was fully sick and tired of it.<p>

"Gya!" Rukia gasped as she rode out another contraction. She lay on the couch as far away from Ichigo was she could manage. The distraught husband sat on the other side of the couch, having been forbidden by his wife to touch her.

"They're coming nine minutes apart, Rukia," Ichigo told her. "I'm going to call Captain Unohana."

Rukia fixed Ichigo with an icy glare. "Fine," she spat through gritted teeth. "Do what you want, but leave me alone. It's your fault I'm in this much pain!" She turned her back to him and huddled up against the couch. She was sure she heard him chuckle lightly but was too mad to actually do anything about it.

A few minute later, Ichigo returned. "Captain Unohana says she want you to come to the Fourth Division. She says you're probably in active labor now," he told his still glaring wife. He paused for a moment before adding, "I called your brother to let him know you're in labor. He and Renji wish you the best of luck."

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><p>"Rukia, the best thing for you and your children is to do your best to remain calm. I know it's not easy, but if you utilize some breathing exercises and other things I taught you, you'll be able to reduce the pain somewhat," Captain Unohana said placidly.<p>

"What are you talking about? How am I supposed to remain calm when contractions are coming every five – Eyah!" Rukia broke off abruptly and cried out as a contraction burned through her once more. Rukia let slip a pathetic whimper before slumping sideways onto Ichigo, who was rubbing her back in an attempt to provide her some relief.

"You forget I've already had two boys of my own with Captain Zaraki," Captain Unohana said sweetly. "Try getting on your hands and knees and having Ichigo squeeze your hips. It will relieve some of the pressure."

Having no other options that she could call to her tired mind, Rukia knelt on her hands and knees, and Ichigo, eager to give his wife some comfort, began to squeeze her hips in an in and out motion. Rukia was somewhat surprised to find that this helped with the pain somewhat. She was still weary of the pain, though.

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><p>"This has been going on for <em>hours<em>!" Rukia gasped after another contraction rocked through her. She had switched back to lying against Ichigo. "Ungh, I just want this to stop!" she sobbed.

"You'll be alright," Ichigo whispered in her ear. All he received for his trouble was a tired glare from his spouse.

"Please shut up, Ichigo," Rukia said rather harshly before letting out a tired sigh.

Several minutes and another contraction passed before Captain Unohana said, "Rukia, I'm going to check your cervix to see how dilated you are."

"You're only seven centimeters now, so we're going to wait until you're at ten centimeters," she said once she had checked. "You're dilating a little slowly, but since this is your first delivery …"

"And last…" Rukia ground out.

"…this is normal. Once you reach ten centimeters, you can begin pushing if you feel ready."

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><p>"Ichigo, if you love me, kill me right now!" Rukia cried. Her contractions had increased to coming every two minutes and were happening almost as soon as the last had finished. She was in constant pain with virtually no relief, and she was miserable. Despite her best attempts to remain calm, Rukia was alternating between insulting Ichigo and crying.<p>

Suddenly, Rukia began to feel a new sensation deep down. She desperately wanted to push. "I need…I need to push," she panted. Immediately, Captain Unohana checked her cervix before making Rukia's heart sink. "You're not at ten centimeters yet, Rukia; you're only at eight. Please wait," she said almost apologetically.

Rukia let out a mix of something between a sob and a sigh. Another contraction burned through her stomach and she stiffened in Ichigo's arms. It felt worse this time now that it was combined with the urge to bear down. "Don't push," Ichigo chided, "and don't forget your breathing exercises."

Rukia was too miserable to reply with a suitable insult. She was sore and in so much pain she was trembling. Her back hurt, her stomach hurt, she felt a bit ill, and she wanted to push but couldn't. Rukia couldn't remember a time when she'd felt worse in her life. Ichigo was murmuring something in her ear, but she was past caring, and she had had just about enough of hearing Captain Unohana's voice. She didn't care if the woman could empathize with her; she wouldn't let her push, and it was hurting.

For a half hour, Rukia resisted the urge and suffered through more contractions. If it flitted through her mind, she tried to breathe steadily through her nose instead of panting. However, even with that, she needed to push, and she didn't think she could wait much longer. "C-can I p-push yet?" she whimpered as Captain Unohana checked her cervix.

Rukia was relieved to hear the words, "You're at ten centimeters now. You can begin pushing. Push when you feel the need," Captain Unohana said. "Take a deep breath and push down towards your bottom." Rukia nodded right before another contraction came. As Captain Unohana had instructed, she pushed when she felt the urge. She was pleasantly surprised that the contraction was not as painful while she pushed.

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><p>"Mmmmm," Rukia moaned as she pushed through another contraction. The contractions felt less intense, but the pain was certainly still there. Panting helped a bit.<p>

"You've got this, babe," Ichigo said and gave her hand a squeeze. Rukia nodded and squeezed back as she pushed through another contraction.

"Tha-thanks," she gasped just before another contraction came. "But unless you can make these babies come any faster, just be quiet." Right before she had to push, Rukia turned to crack a small smile at him to show she kind of meant well.

"Love you, too," Ichigo sighed.

An hour or so later, Rukia wailed, "Oh Kami, that smarts!" She could feel something pushing its way out of her.

Captain Unohana smiled warmly, "You're baby is crowning. I can see the head already."

Rukia was silent. She didn't know what to say. One of her babies was almost born. Finally, her hard work was beginning to pay off. She let out a shaky laugh of anticipation and relief. She didn't have to look to know that Ichigo was beaming.

"Tssss!" Rukia hissed as the next contraction came. Despite her discomfort, Rukia gave an exceptionally strong push and felt something slide out of her.

"Good, Rukia!" Captain Unohana exclaimed. "Another push or so like that and I'll be able to pull the baby out."

The next contraction that came, Rukia gave her hardest push yet. "Ah, Kami!" she cried as she could felt her baby slip from her. And then she heard wailing.

It was the most precious noise she had ever heard.

"You have a little boy!" Captain Unohana exclaimed as she held the baby up for Rukia to see.

Rukia's view of her baby was blurred as her eyes welled up, full of tears of joy. _I am a mother. I have a child. I have a baby. I have a son, _she thought.

"Let me hold him," she whispered.

Her baby was so small. He fit perfectly into her arms. He had his father's eyes, but her had her black hair. His face was currently red from wailing, and even though his face was screwed up as he screamed, he looked adorable.

"He's perfect," she whispered.

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><p>Rukia didn't have long to enjoy her newborn son before she felt the unmistakable feeling of a contraction. To her pleasant surprise, the contraction was not as painful was before, in fact, it felt much weaker. Despite this, Rukia still felt the urge to push, and she pushed once again.<p>

She felt extremely tired this time around, and despite the fact that the work was easier, she found it harder to muster the strength to push with any decent force. She gave a few moderate pushes with the strength she had, but it was barely enough to bring her baby to the crowning position.

"Are you tired, Rukia?" Captain Unohana asked almost apologetically.

Rukia nodded weakly.

"Well, if you are exhausted, we could employ the use of forceps or a vacuum to aid the process," Captain Unohana offered helpfully.

There had been nothing threatening in Captain Unohana's voice, but the prospect of using any instruments scared her. She had heard horror stories in the World of the Living about what happened when forceps or a vacuum were used, and she wanted none of those to apply to her child.

"No," Rukia said vehemently. "I'm not that tired. I'll just…keep going."

The next few contractions were miserable as Rukia did her best to muster and push her baby out of her. However, after 25 minutes of exhaustion, Rukia could feel Captain Unohana's fingers grasp the baby's body and pull it free.

For the second time, Rukia's eyes welled up.

"Congratulations!" Captain Unohana cried. "You have a beautiful baby girl!"

"Ichigo," Rukia choked out as she cradled her little girl. "We have a son and a daughter."


	10. Contentment

**This, my readers, is my last chapter of **_**Rukia's Baby. **_**After this, I plan to do a short companion story covering the last half of Renji's pregnancy. It's going to be called **_**Between the Both of Us**_**, so look out for that . As always, I don't own Bleach . I don't know what to wish on anymore. But you could make me feel better if you reviewed, because I love those. Thanks to:**

**bhernandez02897**** – Special thanks to you for reviewing SO much. **

**ZeinDarkuzss**** – just for you, I'm including more Rangiku in the ByaRen fic. I feel ****like Rangiku would be closer to Renji than Rukia.**

**SHINee True Blue**

**wanda lensherr**

**kyle**

**Rose202 **

**CheezuKe-KiXD**

**rockbabyval**

**Vman9000**

**And credits to ****LilyLuna6855 for helping come up with names for the babies.**

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><p>"I don't know if I should be weirded out by the fact that your just breast-feeding you baby in front of me," Renji said mildly.<p>

"Akane was hungry, so I'm feeding her. Trust me, when it's your turn, you won't care either," Rukia replied with a roll of her eyes. She looked down tenderly at the shock of strawberry hair that rested on her chest. Gently, she stroked her daughter's tiny head before switching her to the other breast. For a moment, Akane began to cry at the loss of milk but quickly quieted herself upon coming into contact with her mother's breast.

"Um, hey, Rukia," Renji muttered. His nose and cheeks had deepened to a light pink and he was clearly embarrassed about whatever he was about to say. "What did you do for morning sickness? It's gotten really bad, and I can't even get up in the mornings I feel so bad. Then it lasts into the afternoon, and it's getting impossible to deal with," he admitted.

Rukia offered Renji a sympathetic smile, as she understood what he was going through. "I started eating candied ginger and snacking throughout the day as opposed to eating normal meals. Oh, and try smelling a fresh sent like lemon or something," she offered.

"Oh, thanks, I'll try that," Renji replied somewhat sheepishly.

At that moment, Byakuya and Ichigo entered the room. "-Don't worry about it; you'll be fine," Ichigo was saying. "Once you know how to navigate your way around him, you'll be able to deal with the hormonal mood swings no problem."

"Thank you for your advice, Ichigo Kurosaki," Byakuya replied.

Rukia's eyebrow cocked upward as she looked askance at her husband. Renji reacted a bit more vehemently than Rukia chose to.

"You asked him about my "hormonal mood swings"?" Renji half yelled. "I am _not _hormonal!"

The sleeping baby boy nestled in Ichigo's arms stirred a bit, prompting his mother to send a glare in Renji's direction. "Renji, if you wake my son, I will make you regret it, pregnant or not," Rukia threatened. Apologetically Renji ducked his head before aiming an icy glare at Byakuya.

"I wasn't complaining to Ichigo, I was simply asking him how I could best support you as you deal with the wide range of emotion I'm sure you'll be feeling throughout this pregnancy," Byakuya told his lover, expertly sidestepping what could have turned into a fight. He knelt down next to Renji and drew him into his arms to further placate him.

"I was wondering," Renji said slowly. "I was wondering if I could hold one of them, and since Akane's eating right now, maybe I could hold Seiya?"

Reluctantly, Ichigo held out his sleeping son to his tattooed uncle. Silently, Renji took the baby and cradled him in his arms. He looked so small in Renji's muscled arms.

"Make sure to support his head!" Ichigo interjected, ever the anxious parent.

"I know that!" Renji retorted.

Seiya began to stir, somehow having realized that his father was no longer holding him. The longer Renji held him, the more restless Seiya became until he began to whimper. It was only a few seconds before the whimper became a fullblown wail.

Anxious to placate his son, Ichigo retrieved him back from Renji's arms and rocked him until he fell back asleep. Ichigo couldn't help but snicker at the distraught look on Renji's face, but was quick to offer reassurance. "Don't worry," he said, "Seiya will get used to you; it will just take some time."

"Of course," Rukia added jokingly as she began to burp Akane, "If he knows how to stay out of trouble, he'll stay away from you." She winked afterword to let the redhead know she was kidding.

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><p>An hour after Renji and Byakuya had left, Rukia and Ichigo were resting on their futon, each holding a baby. Akane now lay on her father's chest, her orange hair just as bright as his. She was sleeping soundly, her round face completely serene and relaxed. Seiya on the other hand was very much awake, and despite being fed, burped, and changed was crying loudly. Both parents were both amazed at how Akane was able to sleep through her brother's racket.<p>

"We've already been parents for a week," Ichigo murmured, "and this all still seem unreal." He gently nuzzled Akane as she shifted gently in his arms. She opened her mouth in a yawn that just about melted her father's heart.

"I know. I can hardly believe we're parents to these little angels," Rukia sighed. At that very moment, Seiya spat up on his mother's dark kimono, leaving a white stain. Rukia couldn't even be frustrated as she watched her son quiet down. "Is that what was wrong, little man?" she cooed to Seiya. He wrapped one finger around Rukia's finger before settling off to sleep.

"I'll never get used to how amazing this is," Ichigo murmured before leaning over to kiss Rukia's cheek.

Rukia sighed happily. "Neither will I."

~The End

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><p><strong>And that is that everybody. Thank you for the views and reviews. Also, I'll be taking a short break to do a oneshot before beginning work on <em>Between the Both of Us<em>. I haven't decided what it's going to be about or who's going to be in it. I just know that it's going to happen. **

**Bye 3**


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